The flower shop felt emptier after Zhen Wei left.
Lian Hua stood still for a long moment, staring at the door as if expecting him to return immediately.
But he didn't.
Hours passed.
The sunlight shifted.
Customers came and went.
But her thoughts stayed in one place—
His world.
By evening, she was closing the shop when her phone rang.
An unknown number.
She hesitated… then answered.
"Hello?"
"Miss Lian Hua," a calm, unfamiliar voice said.
Her heart skipped.
"Yes?"
"This is regarding Mr. Zhen."
She straightened immediately.
"Is something wrong?"
"No," the voice replied.
"But he has requested your presence."
Her grip tightened slightly on the phone.
"My… presence?"
"Yes."
"At his residence."
Silence.
Lian Hua's heart began to beat faster.
His residence.
Not the shop.
Not a casual meeting.
Something more formal.
More serious.
"I… understand," she said softly.
"I'll send a car," the voice added.
The call ended.
Lian Hua stood there for a moment, her thoughts racing.
This was it.
The moment she had felt coming.
She was stepping into his world.
That night, a sleek black car stopped outside her apartment.
The driver stepped out and opened the door for her.
"Miss Lian Hua."
She nodded, her nerves quietly building.
As the car moved through the city, everything around her seemed different.
Brighter.
Larger.
More distant.
When they arrived—
She froze.
The gates alone were massive.
Beyond them stood a grand estate, illuminated softly under the night sky.
Elegant.
Powerful.
Intimidating.
"This is where he lives…" she whispered.
The driver opened the door.
"We've arrived."
As she stepped out, her heart beat faster.
Every step forward felt heavier.
Not because she didn't want to be there—
But because she knew this place represented everything she wasn't.
Inside, the atmosphere was quiet and refined.
A staff member guided her through the halls.
"Mr. Zhen is waiting for you," they said.
When she entered the main room—
She saw him.
Zhen Wei stood near the window, his posture calm, composed.
But the moment he saw her—
Something in his expression changed.
Softer.
Warmer.
"You came," he said.
"Of course," she replied.
He walked toward her slowly.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I should be asking you that."
A faint smile touched his lips.
"I've dealt with worse."
But before they could say more—
A voice interrupted.
"So this is her."
Lian Hua turned.
And felt her breath catch.
The same elegant woman from the flower shop stood there.
But this time—
She wasn't alone.
Behind her stood an older man.
Sharp.
Authoritative.
His presence alone carried weight.
Power.
Expectation.
Zhen Wei's expression hardened instantly.
"Father," he said coldly.
Lian Hua's heart dropped.
This wasn't just a visit anymore.
This was a confrontation.
And she was right in the middle of it.